Summary: Cases of PTSD are on the rise globally, yet there are very few effective treatments for the condition. To date, psychotherapy is the most effective way of managing the condition. New studies show that MDMA or psilocybin may significantly increase the effectiveness of psychotherapy. It appears that these substances, when used as medications or part of PTSD treatment, make individuals more receptive to psychotherapy, thus helping rewire the brain faster.

Due to covid and various international conflicts like the Ukraine war, PTSD is on the rise in the US and globally. However, it is among the conditions that are still not treated effectively with existing drug therapy. Moreover, even if medications help, they take a long time to show results. Thus, there is a need to find medications that act fast, are effective, and are safe for managing the condition.

Researchers are testing many treatments. However, it appears that MDMA (“ecstasy”) and psilocybin (“magic mushroom”) are now among the most promising remedies. These remedies appear to act fast and are especially good for managing PTSD when combined with psychotherapy. A recent study regarding their promising role in PTSD management has been published in the journal European Neuropsychopharmacology. 

These therapies are not to replace psychotherapy. Instead, they work better when combined with them. Psychological counseling remains the most effective and safe way to manage PTSD. However, combining it with MDMA or psilocybin may result in significantly better results.

It appears that due to some inherent qualities, some people are prone to PTSD. Those affected by the condition develop severe issues like nightmares, intrusive thoughts, mood swings, avoidance, and various other physical and emotional reactions. In addition, they sometimes find it difficult to control these physical and emotional responses, causing significant disability. 

Researchers say psychotherapy remains the treatment of choice, as it is the only way to rewire their brains. However, psychotherapy is a prolonged and often quite expensive process. In addition, it means that using it on a massive scale is quite challenging. 

Of course, there are many other drugs in development. However, researchers say that MDMA and psilocybin are among the most promising agents. Here it is vital to understand that these drugs mainly work by increasing the action of psychotherapy and not due to their hallucinogenic properties. They may help individuals become more receptive to psychological instructions. In addition, they ensure better and faster brain rewiring. 

Researchers have already done 4 larger clinical studies. In all the studies, they found that combining psychotherapy with psychedelics was better than psychotherapy alone1.

Of course, “ecstasy” and “magic mushroom” are still the substance of abuse. Thus, their use in medicine is not legal. However, now things are changing fast, as regulatory agencies realize their benefits in PTSD. Hence, it is expected that MDMA may get approval for managing PTSD in a couple of years.

Clinicians are very excited about the perspectives of MDMA approval for clinical use, as they think that it will revolutionize PTSD treatment. Not only that, but it will also open doors for testing these therapeutic approaches in other mental health conditions. For example, there is already sound evidence that psychedelics are quite good for managing depression when used along with psychotherapy.

If approved, doctors will have a potent tool in their hands to rewire patients’ brains. 

Moreover, it is worth understanding that MDMA was created by a pharmaceutical company a long time ago. However, when it was created, doctors tested it for other health conditions, in which MDMA did not work well. 

Additionally, it appears that doctors and regulatory agencies are now changing their attitudes toward MDMA. Though its uncontrolled use may pose a health risk, when used under medical supervision or in the clinics, it is a highly safe way to manage various mental health issues.

Summary: Humans have been using magic mushrooms for religious rituals and as a substance of abuse. However, science discovered unique benefits in mental health, including opioid addiction treatment. Psilocybin, the substance responsible for mind-altering effects, may provide fast and prolonged relief for mental health disorders. It’s expected that pharmaceutical companies may soon introduce magic mushroom pills. Mushrooms have been used traditionally to manage various health conditions, even by ancient Egyptians.

Mushrooms are fungi that have existed for billions of years. They are pretty diverse, some toxic, others nutritious, and some superfoods. People have also used mushrooms traditionally to manage various health conditions. However, some mushrooms are unique, like magic mushrooms. In Mesoamerica, people used it for divine experiences, healing, and religious rituals. There is evidence that even ancient Egyptians used these mushrooms and considered them as “foods of gods.”

There is a reason why people used magic mushrooms in religion for divine experiences. Science now knows that these mushrooms have a hallucinogenic effect. Those who use it experience a unique kind of effect. Some describe its effects as one of the most amazing experiences. Of course, these hallucinogenic or psychedelic mushrooms have now become a substance of abuse. However, science also knows that these unique mind-altering effects are due to a substance called psilocybin.

Though magic mushroom has long been a substance of abuse, things have been fast changing. In recent times, it has been increasingly used in clinical studies. There are now numerous clinical trials showing that magic mushrooms may help manage mental health disorders. Unlike existing drugs that take days to start acting and only help in a small number of cases, magic mushrooms, when used with psychotherapy, may help fast. In addition, these mushrooms may help rewire the brain and thus cure many health disorders like depression, anxiety, bipolar and many others.

Pharmaceutical companies first started exploring magic mushrooms in the 1950s and 60s, when they realized their magical or psychedelic effect was mainly due to a chemical compound called psilocybin. In fact, a drug of abuse, LSD, which closely resembles psilocybin, was first created by Swiss pharma company Sandoz in 1963. Though the pharmaceutical industry could create synthetic psilocybin more than half a century back, until recently, doctors could not find any use for psychedelics in clinics. However, now evidence is mounting that psychedelics are amazingly good for managing mental health issues.

Of course, some are also critical about using psychedelics for managing mental health disorders, as there are worries that it may increase misuse of these substances. Additionally, there are worries that such medications are going to be quite expensive. Since psychedelics are readily produced cheaply, many wonder why medications using these substances might be so expensive. A few grams of magic mushroom would barely cost $10, so why are those synthetic psychedelics expected to cost several thousand US dollars?

There are many reasons why medications based on these substances would be expensive. Firstly, such medications would be safer due to their much higher purity and absence of harmful impurities. Secondly, testing drugs in clinics costs. Costs of clinical studies run in hundreds of millions. Further, massive costs are involved in getting FDA approvals. Of course, some may wonder why not simply use magic mushrooms, then. Well, that is not possible, as doctors cannot rely on magic mushrooms for treating health conditions. They need to know the exact dose they are giving to their patients. However, the potency of magic mushrooms varies significantly.

Therefore, if we want to see broader use of magic mushrooms in clinics, they must become available in pills. This is precisely what is expected to happen in the coming years. There are high chances that magic mushroom pills will become available as prescription drugs for managing mental health disorders.